The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and several definitions for terms used in the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 535,509A discloses a bathtub lifted to the wardrobe interior by means of a tie connected to the shorter bathtub wall with a more gently incline (further indicated by letter “L”), by means of vertical guides on its both sides, leading the bathtub by means of movable joints fixed to the upper part of the bathtub L. This displacement is aided by a counterweight of the bathtub fixed at the other end of the tie passing through a pulley in the upper part of the internal wall of the wardrobe. By this method the bathtub is placed in the wardrobe with its concave side facing outside. The bathtub is provided with a folded leg.
U.S. Pat. No. 760,540A describes a bathtub lifted to the wardrobe interior manually using a hinge fixed to the base of the bathtub, at the edge connected to the wardrobe. The bathtub is stored with its concave side towards the wardrobe interior.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,235,091A presents a bathtub converted into a shower cabin, having a folded shower head and fittings arranged inside the bathtub on one of its side walls. The bathtub is turned with its concave side towards already existing shower space outside the bathtub contour in its vertical position. The shower head directs water jets to the bathtub interior, whereas the bathing person should stand in the center of the bathtub positioned vertically. This solution does not limit the space utilized in the bathroom. It requires a very long, wide and deep bathtub to form a shower cabin meeting necessary ergonomic standards.
International Patent Publication No. WO2004012568A uses, in its first part, one joint to rotate a bathtub to the vertical position, forming a semi-inclined rotatable wall of a shower cabin. In its second part, it utilizes an arm hooked to the shower housing above the upper edge of the bathtub in the horizontal position, in order to manipulate the said bathtub to its vertical position with additional help of guides on both sides of the bathtub, to close the shower cabin while bathing.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,514,848A presents a bathtub for medical treatment enabling the introduction of a patient into the bathtub in its vertical position and rotation of the bathtub to its horizontal position. Simultaneously it is raised to the height convenient for carrying out the treatment. This solution utilizes an arm hooked at one side to the bathtub base and on the other side through a joint to bolt and nut mechanism driving its rotary-sliding displacement around an axis fixed to the ground and passing through a longitudinal slot in the arm. The bathtub trajectory is defined by the movement of the arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,145B1 proposes a combination of a bathtub and a shower cabin with a mechanism pulling a bathtub. There are utilized guides under the bathtub and on the bathroom wall from bathtub wall. The bathtub moves on the guides by means of wheels mounted to its base driven by an electric motor.
The known solutions force the user, having a limited space, to choose between a separate shower space and a bathtub, whereas option of a bathtub with a shower fitting is bound to many disadvantages, i.e. the high wall of the bathtub, a limited space in the bathtub, and the necessity of using a bath curtain instead of a permanent partition, as well as, very often, a dangerous surface of the bathtub bottom. In the bathroom arrangement with both a bathtub and a shower cabin there is doubling of the necessary fittings and mountings, which is particularly expensive in case of both these devices having massage functions. Additionally, we also need to use a shower in a sitting position, which is particularly important to elderly or/and disabled persons and during leg washing. To that aim we must keep a stool in the bathroom occupying additional space. Keeping the bathroom clean is often difficult as some parts of the floor under the bathtub are inaccessible.